The Eternal Bittersweet
by Civic31
Summary: "How do you kill that which does not bleed?" The words repeat as each leaf falls, burning & branding the sacred bark. Then the letters shift. "Do you dare enter the Abyss of Hell, Kagome? You, Kikyo? Or do you let him succumb to the demon within himself? Based on Dante's Inferno, Kagome must travel to the depths of Hell with Kikyo in order to save Inuyasha from eternal damnation.
1. Prologue: Fleeting Moments

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Inuyasha. Wish I did, but I don't.

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><p><span>Prologue<span>

Fleeting Moments

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><p>It's all my fault. I should have tried harder, I should have been quicker, I should have pushed my feelings aside. If only I had more power, if only I had come sooner. Maybe if I had, it wouldn't have turned out this way. She would be smiling, he would be happy, and sure, it would hurt me, but not as much as I'm hurting right now.<p>

She was dying. The poison was flowing through her, making her pale skin even paler, her delicate hands all the more fragile and her voice as soft as ever. And there was nothing anyone could do about it. I had tried, legitimately to save her, but all my efforts were in vain. I never really wanted her to die, without her I never would have met him. But she was, and I suppose I should have been happy about it, I mean, it's not like she hadn't died before. But it was different this time.

I wasn't there the first time, but I've heard about it so many times before that I can picture it perfectly in my head. She stood there, surrounded by the shade of the trees, mortally wounded with the blood red liquid seeping through the white fabric of her kimono. She was replaying what happened just moments before in her head over and over again. One moment, the jewel within her hands was glowing in the sunlight, the next, an excruciating pain, both mental and physical, as the man she thought she loved walked away with the sacred jewel she swore to protect, leaving nothing but bitterness, hatred and thoughts of betrayal behind. And in one swift movement, with perfect poise she knocked her last arrow on her bow, focusing what was left of her energy on the arrow tip, invoking it with her strong spiritual power.

He was there as well. He had just left the village, the precious jewel now in his hands, and he too was thinking those same thoughts. He, like her, couldn't believe at what the other had done. He had loved her, opened his heart to her, going against the very fabric of his being, and look where that had gotten him. He had been willing to completely change himself for her, and give up all that he had ever known just to be with her. And then she turned around and stabbed him in the back, stringing him along like a little puppy, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. He had let his guard down and she took advantage of it and tried to kill him. So he did what he had been going to do before he fell in love with her. He went and took the jewel from the temple.

I can't imagine what the next moments were like. He was running off with the jewel, she was forcing herself to get to him before he got away with it. And then they finally caught up with each other. He, holding the jewel's chain, looking at her, hurt, love and pain within his eyes, she, screaming his name, the unspoken question "Why?" heard within her voice. Time froze for an eternity in their minds, in reality only for a few mere seconds.

And then, it happened. The earth-shattering moment. The conflicting rage and sorrow got the better of her, and doing her duty she released her arrow. It sped through the air like a bullet does as it speeds across the horizon, a white aura engulfing it. And in a flash of white light, it pierced squarely through his chest. And the last thing he saw before he drifted off into unconsciousness was her distraught face, a beacon of light against the harsh sun. She died just moments after sealing him away, pleading with her sister to be buried with the jewel, in order to release the world from its enchantment.

Of course we now know that neither of them betrayed the other, in fact, it was Naraku himself who deceived them into trickery. He wanted her heart for himself and couldn't stand letting someone else have her, so he gave himself to the evil within his soul and used it to empower himself. He became utterly consumed by the evil that he himself had created, thus causing the demise of the one person he had ever wanted.

Fast forward 50 years to the present, the 2 lovers back to life, he awoken from his perpetual slumber, and she revived through black magick. Which is what makes this time so much more different, so much more significant, and so much more painful for me. Because as much as I should, I can't bring myself to hate her. This time only one of them is dying, only one of them can stay and now they both know the truth. This time, they're together, and as much as it kills me, as much as it hurts, somehow I know that this is how it's all supposed to be.

The sky is just another reminder of what's happening right now. Fitting that it's dusk, with the sun slowly setting against the backdrop of orange and pink. The streaks of red in the sky clash with the staggering black clouds, only proving that the earth itself is mourning the loss of her as well. Walking a little further in front of us, he holds her body carefully to his chest, head down, face numb. Staring at him I can see the grief it's causing him, to be carrying her as her life slowly ebbs away, unable to ease her pain, unable to stop her from leaving him yet again.

He stops suddenly, lifting his head so slightly that I can just barely glimpse a thin shining layer on his eyes. And I know that he's this close to crying, one step away from breaking down.

"Could you leave us alone?" he asks with a broken voice.

And as he takes a few more steps forward and sets her lightly down on the ground, I finally break, and crumble to the cold earth, hiding my face and the tears which have sprung forth from my eyes behind my hands. All I can think of are the same 9 words repeating constantly over and over in my mind. _I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't save you._

Slowly lifting my head I see them in the distance, exchanging words, possibly vows of love, I'll never know. Because all I can see is the look in his eyes, the internal agony, the torment, the love. And as I force myself to look away I see her eyes and all the happiness and peace she's found at just being with him. And I realize that I can never compete with her. As much as I care for him, as much as I sacrifice for him, it's never going to be enough. Just standing by him can never be enough, because she died to be with him. And I can tell that if he had to choose between us two, he wouldn't choose me.

And it hurts. It hurts because I know that rationally I can never bring myself to accept this. It's the eternal Bittersweet. But just seeing them together only confirms my theory, pushing me closer and closer to the edge. And though it's practically ripping me apart on the inside, I'm still more concerned about them than myself. I see the misery brewing inside of him and it breaks my heart even more than him being with her does. Because the one thing he's ever loved is being taken away from him again. And I can't stand to see him in this much pain.

I pity her too. Because the last time she was with him, truly with him was when she was alive. And she ended up leaving him on such bad terms. With all the time I've spent with him, I've come to know him in ways that she can't possibly have, and she deserves to be happy just as much as me. She deserves to know him like I do.

And then it happened. I was thinking these thoughts to myself, watching them talk out of the corner of my eye, when all of a sudden, they just stopped. They completely froze. And not only them, but the wind stopped, the birds stopped chirping and the sounds of the waterfall stopped. And that's when I realized that something was wrong. Getting up, I slowly took a few steps back, looking around surreptitiously, sensing that I was the only person who could move, the only person who wasn't affected by this sudden pause in time.

Then I heard the voice.

"That never ceases to amaze me." It was coming from behind me. Whirling around, I darted my eyes as quick as I could to look for the source of the voice, but couldn't see a thing.

"It's a miracle really. And you don't even realize that you're doing it, do you?" I whirled around again, this time unsure of which direction the voice was coming from.

"Who are you?" I piped up finally, slowly spinning in a counter-clockwise circle. "What do you want from me?"

A tinkling sound occurs, like angelic laughter. "It's not what _I_ want. Rather what _you_ want. So, what is it that you desire?"

What do I desire? Lots of things. Peace, world harmony, this damn jewel to be complete. But most of all? His happiness, even if I'm not a part of it. Except, I can't even have that anymore. Because she's about to leave forever, and whether or not she knows it, she's going to take a part of him with her.


	2. Chapter 1: Sometime Around Midnight

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own Inuyasha. And yep, still wish I did. And I definitely do not own the musical genius that is Sometime Around Midnight. That right is given to The Airborne Toxic Event.

**A/N:** Just a little note to answer a few questions:

YES this is my first fanfic,  
>NO I do not want to make it a habit of adding AN's at the beginning of every chapter,  
>YES, I do plan on finishing this story,<br>NO I don't know how many chapters it's going to end up being,  
>And YES, I will attempt my very hardest to update once every week. If inspiration strikes, perhaps I will more, if not, then every 2 weeks for sure.<p>

This is Civic31, signing out, but not before making sure you all know that all the titles from this fanfic will be named after songs which have inspired this story.

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Chapter 1<span>

Sometime Around Midnight

_You just don't care what you look like,  
><em>__The world is falling around you.__

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><p>The stars were bright tonight. Twinkling above our heads in a complete and utter mismatched order, I could've sworn they could hear my thoughts as they stared down at me. They shone with such intensity they had to be listening in to the ramblings going on inside my head. Of course, those ramblings were focused on one particular hanyou, because really, who else could occupy such a big part of my life? Who else could keep me from getting a good night's sleep? And let's be honest, who else could make me think that any twinkling the stars were doing from listening to my thoughts was probably laughter if anything else?<p>

I quickly glance up at the tree he is sitting in, watching as the cool night breeze playfully brushes against his hair, making it sway it ever so slightly. He looks peaceful, which is a first for him; usually he has one of two permanent faces on, a smirk or a scowl. He's staring up the stars like I was only moments before, thinking of things I most likely will never know.

Sighing slightly, I switch my gaze back up to the heavens before he notices me gawking at him. Because that would be going down a road that I'd prefer not to travel on. Knowing him he'd wake everyone up while demanding to know why I'm staring at him. Sometimes I swear he starts things just for his own personal enjoyment. Jerk.

I sigh again as that thought crosses my mind before I realize that for some inexplicable reason, I'm smiling. Which can't be good. Because if I'm smiling at just the possibility of Inuyasha arguing with me, considering he'd actually be paying attention to me for once, then I really don't want to know what that means. Because, it can't be love. If it's love, then I'm just setting myself up for a world of pain. If it's love, then it's most definitely going to be unreciprocated. If it's love, then I guess I really am a glutton for punishment.

And that train of thought leads to another sigh. I seem to be doing that a lot these days. Sighing I mean. I guess travelling from the present to the past will do that to you. Make you contemplate about life way more than any 16-year old girl ever should. But you know, it's not all that –

"Why are you still awake?"

The blunt question tears through my thoughts, and I jump slightly in my sleeping bag before sitting up. Blinking rapidly for a few seconds, I wait for my eyes to adjust to dim light of the dying fire as the hanyou's silhouette comes into view.

And then I come up with this little gem. "Huh?"

I don't even have to see him properly to know he's rolling his eyes at me.

"You keep sighing like you got something to say! It's so goddamn loud, and I'm sick of it! So just hurry up and say whatever it is that you wanna say already!" He growls.

"What are you talking about?" I whisper fiercely. "I'm trying to fall asleep and you're not helping!" Not mentally, or physically.

"You're trying to fall asleep? I'm surprised anyone is asleep right now with all the racket you're making!" He snipes, gradually getting louder.

"Inuyasha! Be quiet! You'll wake everyone up! God, you can be so inconsiderate sometimes -"

"Inconsiderate? I'm inconsiderate? I'm not the one who's always leaving for home! '_Inuyasha, I have a test at school. I'm going home. I need to study. My education is important you know._' Yeah? Well, you know what? Finding the jewel shards is important too, Kagome. You can't just brush it aside whenever you want to, I mean, it's your fault the jewel was shattered in the first -"

"I know finding the jewel shards is important Inuyasha, but I have a life back in my time you know! I have responsibilities that can't be –"

"The only responsibility you have is to find the jewel shards. After that, you can go to your time whenever the hell you want." He cuts in, obstinately.

I glare at him before replying, "Oh gee, thanks. Thank you, Inuyasha for giving _me_ permission to go back to _my_ own time, when _you_ find it convenient. You know what? You are such a selfish jerk!" I finish with my arms crossed, sending daggers at him with my eyes.

Only to find that he's not scowling back at me. Instead, he's looking out into the darkness of the forest. I watch as his cute little dog ears twitch, listening for something far off in the distance.

I open my mouth to ask him what's wrong, but before I can make so much as a peep, he puts his hand lightly over my mouth. I freeze, zeroing in on where his hand touches my lips. And I start to blush. I can just feel my heartbeat getting faster and he's barely touching me. But it's not love. It can't be love.

I stay quiet for a few seconds longer, not moving. But of course, I can't hear anything. I'm not the one with super dog hearing. No, that privilege is only for yours truly crouching in front of me. Sometimes, I wonder what it'd be like to be able to hear for miles around. But not this time. No, this time, I have no patience, and begin to climb out of my sleeping bag, ready to stock the fire up. It'll give me something to do, considering I won't be getting much sleep done with Inuyasha in such close proximity and the fact that once I try to get to sleep, I'll start dissecting whether or not his touch actually meant anything. So, the fire it is.

I manage to just get on my feet and lift my leg forward when all of a sudden I find that I'm not even on my feet anymore. In fact, at no point is any part of my body even touching ground. But my pulse is racing again, and I'm pretty sure I'm flushed which has got to be due to the two arms wrapped around my back and legs.

I turn my head to the left and am met with a rock hard chest. And there goes my heart into super-speed. But that doesn't mean anything.

"Did my hand on your mouth mean nothing to you?" I look up at Inuyasha face, and watch a close-up view of his lips forming the words as he snipes at me. And super-speed just got bumped up to hyper-drive.

I don't even realize it when I respond with, "What? Come again?"

A loud exhale and a snarled "Just be quiet, wouldja?" follows and I snap out of my sleep-depraved lust stupor as a faint rustling sound reaches my ears.

It sounds familiar. Like a snake slithering on autumn's fallen leaves or a lizard dragging its tail through the bushes. And I know I've heard it before.

Inuyasha lowers me from his chest, setting me gently onto my feet before giving me a look that clearly means 'Don't even think about moving or saying anything'. And then he has nerve to say, "Stay," before walking closer to the clearing's edge. Which is ridiculously ironic. I mean, he's half dog demon for crying out loud! I put my hands on my hips and glare at him again, satisfied with my little act of rebellion before actually complying with him.

His ears twitch again, and he sniffs the air trying to figure what's out there. The rustling increases and I watch as his facial expression changes from confusion to realization.

"What?" I ask him. "What is it?"

He doesn't answer, doesn't even acknowledge that I've spoken. Instead he just stands there, a pained expression creeping onto his face. And the rustling gets closer.

I run up in front of him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Inuyasha, what's going on?"

Nothing. That is what's going with him. Nothing except this look in his eyes that tells me something is about to happen. And I'm not going to like it. Not one bit.

"Inuyasha? Why aren't you answering me? Usually you've got plenty to say about all the questions I ask, so why the sudden silence? What is that sound?"

Still nothing. Just that look, that wretched look in his eyes that looks like, pity? I don't understand, Inuyasha is incapable of pity. Well at least, for me. So why in the world is he staring at me like that?

I start to shake him, hoping that the jarring movements will shake some sense back into him.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha! Hello, Inuyasha? Is there anybody in there? This is so not the time for you to be flaking out on-"

His hands push mine off of him, moving them back to my side and he looks away, into the forest again. The rustling has stopped. He closes his eyes for a moment.

"I've gotta go," he says quietly.

Well. Certainly didn't see that coming. And wait - What? He has to go? Go where? It's probably sometime around midnight, where does he have to be this late at night? What could he possibly have to do at this time? I mean, it's not like he's the type of person to go on a midnight stroll. Plus we've been tracking down a jewel shard for the past day and a half!

And then in a flash of air, he's gone. Before I even know it, I'm off. Running as fast as my legs will carry me in the direction that Inuyasha has taken. He's just upped and disappeared, while I was busy thinking.

I ponder this for a moment as I run. He was serious!

I stop. Blink for a few seconds and then pinch my thigh, making sure that yes, I am actually awake, and yes, that actually did happen. And off again.

But, why would he leave? What could be so important for him to run to, when obviously there is something out here, close to our camp? Unless of course, that look before, the one of realization was actually recognition. But then who did he recogn-?

SNAP.

The sound of a branch breaking jerks me out of my head. I freeze. The rustling's returned. And it's close. Judging by the volume of sound I'm hearing, whatever's out there is huge. I mean massive. The rustling is coming from all around me.

I warily look at the darkness that surrounds me and begin to see what a foolish idea it was to go running after Inuyasha. I have no idea where I am, no idea which direction is north. I can't even see the stars that were so cheekily poking fun at me and my thoughts before. All I know is that somewhere behind me lies safety, and that somewhere in the distance lies no guarantees. No guarantees that I'll find Inuyasha. No guarantees that he'll be able to help me since you know, he's got somewhere to be right now. No guarantees that he'll hear me scream. So I slowly take a step backwards. Then another. And another, until I've done a full 180 degree pivot and I'm running like I've never ran before.

But the rustling doesn't give up its pursuit. Instead it seems to quicken and pick up its pace, getting louder and louder until I'm drowning in a sea of sound that replays over and over in my head.

I don't see the stump. It's the middle of the night, dark out and I'm running like there's no tomorrow, scared out of my mind. Of course I don't see it. So when my foot makes contact with the dead tree, I go flying. But as I'm flying through the air, waiting for gravity to pull down, I can't help but think that the rustling is still so familiar. I have heard this sound before, multiple times. It's on the tip of my tongue, I swear.

And as I hit the ground, it finally hits me. I know what the sound is coming from. Everything just sort of falls into place. My knees scrape against the ground, arms buckling from the force of landing, but I don't realize it. I'm too fixated on the sound. The deafening rustling behind me. That haunting rustling sound which is finally upon me, grasping my heart and slowly crushing it into oblivion. All I can feel is the squeezing of my heart, the relentless ache that's making it hard to breathe, making everything else just slip away.

I turn around, surrendering to the part of me that must be a masochist, and as I look towards the luminous glow, a wave of agony washes over me. Jab after jab pierces my broken heart as I stare at the source of my pain above me.

Soul Catcher Demons. They're hers, they have to be. Why else would he leave? Nobody else could evoke such action from him, not even me. I can't believe how utterly stupid I am for not realizing it earlier. God, I'm pathetic.

I close my eyes. _Breathe in. Take another breath in before you lose it Kagome. Don't give into the tears, not this time, not again._

I'm trying, I tell myself. I swear I'm trying. But this time, I'm not going to win. Just like last time. And the time before that. And the time before that. Because the tears always win. Every single battle. And I've hoped for too long that I'd have enough strength to keep fighting in the war.

I'm not going to live forever. I know that. So how can I ever hope to win this war? How can I ever expect to compete with a girl that has defied the laws of nature, and lives even while she is dead? How can I bother competing with a girl who loves even while she so desperately hates? No wonder he's gone. I'd probably be gone too if I was him.

Because there is no competition. There's just the love of his life, hell, the love of his death and then me. A girl who doesn't belong here, a girl who can never measure up, a girl whose existence is just a dirty reflection of the other's.

The tears roll down my face at this point. Another battle lost. And I'm sick of it. Sick of fighting a lost cause. Except I know, deep down, I'll still keep fighting. Because the alternative is so much worse. Giving all this up, would probably push me over the brink. And I don't ever want to leave.

The creatures are still here. Opening my eyes, I wonder why they followed me in the first place. They're nudging me. Cold to the touch, they're pushing me forwards. But I'm not moving. I don't have energy for this; I just want to be alone. But I guess they won't take no for an answer because they gather around me, tightening against my waist and then I'm in the air. They push past the canopy of the trees, and then the stars fill my view. Except now they twinkle with a different intensity, a sombre glow.

I don't know what's going on, and frankly, right about know I don't really care. Obviously Kikyo's got some master plan for me and I'm all fought out for today. I close my eyes again and surrender myself to the Soul Catchers' whims.

So I'm a little baffled when my feet touch ground, and I open my eyes to see I've been brought back to the camp. Everyone's still asleep and the fire is on its last burning embers, except, there's still no Inuyasha.

I whip around as the Soul Catchers leave, swirling though the dead of night, above the tree line. Taking in a deep breath, I realize what a seemingly odd gesture that was for Kikyo. A double edged sword if you will. On the plus side she brought me back to somewhere safe. On the minus, she probably just doesn't want me to overhear their conversation, doesn't want Inuyasha to worry. Except when he left, he didn't look too worried about me, so she needn't have bothered.

I turn back to the camp and see that all of our companions are still asleep. Shippo, the cute little red-haired kitsune is still curled up beside Sango and Kirara, fingers clamped in the girl's dark tresses. The cat is lying on Shippo's hair, paw stretched over Sango's shoulder. And Sango is bundled up in the sleeping bag I gave her, pink kimono sleeves ruffled up a bit from her tossing and turning. On the other side of the fire pit is Miroku, sleeping soundly with his back against a tree, a little smile on his face, no doubt due to a naughty dream.

I can't stay here. I can't stay and wait until they wake up and find Inuyasha gone. I can't stay to tell them why. I just don't have the will. Not tonight. I need some time to myself. I'm going home.

With that decided I grab my bag and shuck it on, slowly walking towards the one person who can take me home.

"Kirara," I whisper softly, bending down and rubbing the little cat's ears gently. She purrs and slits her eyes open slowly. A few blinks and she's wide awake.

"Kirara, can you take me to the well?" I say faintly, tears filling my eyes once more.

The little cat walks towards the edge of the clearing, and transforms into her demon form, a large-fanged feline with blazing tails appears in her place. She looks back towards me and I climb on top of her back. And then we take off, flying into the black of the night.

It only takes about half an hour to reach the well. I clamber off of Kirara and turn to her, tears still staining my face. Brushing a hand over her thick fur, I bid her thanks, telling her to go back. She stares at me for a moment, eyes full of understanding before she leaps up and away. I follow her with my eyes, looking up to the night sky and as she disappears, I notice the stars again. They're twinkling still. But to a different tune. The sad song of my existence.

I turn away and walk to the edge of the well, and take a long look into its dark depths. Putting my feet over the edge, I sit down for a moment, and turn my head up to the sky. Then I jump, listening as the stars weep above me, feeling the wind rush around me. And watching, as I leave the past behind me.

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><p><strong>AN:** P.S. I'd love to hit 7 reviews!


	3. Chapter 2: The Mall & Misery Part I

**Disclaimer:** Ownership? Nay to Inuyasha and nay to The Mall and Misery by Broken Bells.

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

The Mall and Misery Part I

_Oh she lies half burning  
><em>_From the biting cold  
><em>_If only to learn  
><em>_What you've never been told  
><em>_There's a real world  
><em>_Somewhere a good girl  
><em>_Lives and breathes_

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><p>3 days. It's been 3 days and nothing. Not even a clue as to if he's bothered to check on me. Which is weird, because I didn't tell him I was leaving this time. So really, he should have come badgering through the well the moment he found out I had left. But then again, he did leave first, and he can't possibly think I wouldn't figure out why, so maybe he's just giving me some space…<p>

Yeah right. That'll be the day, when Inuyasha freely displays compassion towards a human being.

This calls for another one of my patented sighs. I hate to admit it, but I'm bored. Like bored out of my mind. And yeah sure, before I was pretty upset with him, even angry at some times, but in the end the need to just be near him trumps every other emotion. He's the only one who brings that little spark into my life, makes me want to actually do something with it. When I'm with him, everything's in its right place. But I'm not with him right now. And I'm feeling it. It's like everything here in my time is in perfect order, but I feel like a jumbled mess, a puzzle whose pieces have been wrongly forced together. Hence, the boredom.

"He's probably really pissed at me," I whisper to Buyo, who has decided that napping on my lap is a great way to spend the entire day. Damn, he's heavy. And, my foot's fallen asleep, too. I wiggle my toes, feeling the numbness prickle the nerves and try to heave Buyo off of me. Which turns out to be a much harder feat then it should be.

"Buyo," I whine. "You're too heavy. I gotta tell Mom to stop feeding you so much."

After much pushing and shoving I finally manage to get him off of me. But as soon as I stand up and get off the bed, a short little black-haired figure zips into my room, crashing into me.

"Kagome!"

Arms wrap around my torso, throwing me slight off balance.

"Souta! What's the rush?" I ask as I return the hug, ruffling his hair in the process.

"Well you're going back today, aren't you? I have to say goodbye to you now since Gramps is taking me to the mall so I can get some new shoes," he mumbles into my shirt.

I let go of him.

"Who said I was going back today?" I frown.

"Well Mom's been making lunches for you and your friends, so I just thought-"

"She is?" I interject loudly.

Souta looks up at me strangely. "Yep," he responds, nodding slowly.

I stare back down at him, thinking. I guess I probably should go back today, I mean today's as good a day as any. And I don't want Mom to have gone to all that trouble for nothing. Plus, I ought to be getting back anyways, since I've waited this long for Inuyasha to come, and for what? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. If I leave it up to him he won't come to get until sometime next week. Him and his stupid pride.

"Well, I better start packing then." I say, my mind made up. "It's going to take me at least an hour to get everything together."

"You mean, you haven't started yet?" Souta asks incredulously.

"Nope, not yet." I walk over to my desk to gather some of my textbooks. "I was studying earlier." I pick one of the books up to illustrate my point.

"Oh, I thought you'd already gone out earlier to pick up some more ramen for Inuyasha." Souta utters, handing me my backpack.

"Why would I do that?" I ask.

"We don't have any left." Souta answers. "But Gramps and I can pick some up when we we're at the mall if you don't mind waiting."

I glance around the room, weighing my options. If I wait for Souta and Gramps, I'm gonna be here for awhile. And I do not want to hear it from Inuyasha.

"How about this? I'll take you to the mall instead of Gramps, that way you can get your shoes and I can get some ramen, and in return, you help me get my stuff ready." I decide.

Souta smiles up at me. "Sure thing, sis!"

In no time at all I have my bag packed and ready to go, so all that's left is the ramen for Inuyasha.

"He'd better appreciate this," I mumble under my breath as we maneuver through the busy streets and crowded subway station. We get off the train and head into the mall.

"OK. The grocery store is just down there," I tell Souta, pointing down 7 stores. "I'll just be 5 minutes, got it? So try to make your choice quickly alright? I don't wanna be here too late."

He agrees and rushes off, so I begin the short walk to the grocery store. I walk slowly, letting the sounds and smells of the mall surround me. Closing my eyes I can hear all the people chattering, the subtle beeping of cash registers as purchase after purchase rings through. The scent of fast food fills my nose, wafting up from the food court one level below. But while 2 of my 5 senses are enhanced for the moment, one of them unfortunately is not. My sight is pretty much down and out for the moment and explains why 3 seconds later, I collide right into someone.

I hit the ground and a dull pain flows through my knee, causing my eyes to flutter open. A man in a suit, holding a cell phone stares down angrily at me.

"Watch where you're going!" he says, cursing as he walks away.

"Gee, sorry. And thanks for helping me up." I mutter sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

Then a hand appears in front of my face. I look up to see a lady, probably in her mid-twenties, wearing a purple sundress. She smiles down at me.

"Are you OK?" she asks.

I grasp her hand as she helps pull me up. "Yeah, I think I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"Oh, it's no problem. I must say, that was rather rude of the man though. I know you had your eyes closed, but he wasn't looking where he was going either. Was too busy texting on his phone, I suppose. But enough about that. Here, come with me and we'll get you patched up." She says, gesturing towards the nearest store on the left.

"But I'm fine." I say, confused.

"On the contrary, you appear to be scraped up a bit from that fall of yours. Your knee is bleeding." She points at my right knee, slightly amused.

Looking down I see that she is in fact right, I am bleeding, but not very much. Nothing major, just your average scrape on the knee. But I don't want it to get it infected. So I follow her into the store.

Glancing around at the dim interior, I see I've entered some sort of New Age shop. It's filled with books on astrology, birth charts, constellation maps, tarot cards, the whole shebang. A few people are in the store, browsing titles on the shelves; others are looking at tapestries of mythological creatures with intricate patterns. Along the wall there are swords and daggers, even a few staffs like Miroku's, and hundreds of candles light the displays like little centerpieces. Charms and amulets are scattered around the store, as well as sculptures and statues of griffins, sphinxes and other creatures. Just breathing the air in here, the smell of incense tickles my nose. Now I'm thinking that maybe this is more than just a New Age shop.

"What kind of store is this?" I ask, as I follow the lady to the back desk.

"Oh, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of everything really. Pretty much anything to do with the supernatural you'll find in here. I've got things involving magic and astrology all the way to botany, mythology, demons and everything in between. I've always been interested in that kind of stuff, so here I am, with a store devoted to it all!" She explains passionately, arms open displaying the store. "But, enough about me. What's your name, hon?" she asks.

"Kagome."

"Well, Kagome, I know I've got some bandages around here somewhere. So why don't you browse a bit while I look for them?" she suggests, fiddling with some sort of feathers as she sifts through a drawer.

I nod and walk towards the first little aisle of bookshelves. Just skimming over the titles I can tell that she wasn't kidding when she said she's got a little bit everything. One large brown book is titled simply _Plants_, yet right beside it is _Aqua Vitae: A Complete Guide to the Mythical Beings of the Western Element_ bound in a small blue cover, yet spanning at least 2000 pages.

I walk down the next aisle, gazing at the familiar sculptures of dragons and sphinxes and the not so familiar ones. Spotting a rather bizarre looking sculpture, I peer down, taking the sight in. The creature sits on its hind legs, which appear to be a hippo's. Its front legs look like those of a leopard, with spotted fur, yet it also has a lion's mane. The face is definitely the most interesting part, a sort of cross between a dog's snout and a crocodile. It's looking up, standing beside a pole from which 7 chains hang, bronze coins with odd symbols at the end of each one. Curious, I read the tag attached to it:

_Ammit the Bone Eater:_

_Dwelling in the House of Ma'at,  
><em>_Ammit eats the hearts of men whose hearts are heavy from sin.  
><em>_Serving the whims of the gods, she condemns the wicked  
><em>_And casts them forth into oblivion.  
><em>_Considered a demon by most,  
><em>_she destroys evil as a force of good._

Huh. Creepy. I drop the tag and move onto the next aisle, where jars of herbs and spices expel their fragrance into the air. A little further down the aisle, a small wooden wheel lies, with the words _The Wheel of Fortuna_ engraved around the rim. A dozen candles are spread around it at equal intervals, and rune-like symbols are written at each point. I walk towards it, wondering what the symbols mean, when a flash of light glares in my peripheral vision. Turning my head, I see a miniature mirror, hanging from a chain behind the wheel.

I poke my head behind the wheel and find the chain hooked on the back of it. Unhooking it, I stare at the little mirror in its tiny ornate frame before realizing there are two other charms on either side of it. A little sword with an anchor-like hilt is on the left. Sharp to the touch, it's a stark black, most likely made of obsidian. To the right is a curved jewel made of jade, much like the ones around InuYasha's subjugation necklace. And after taking a looking closer at the mirror, I can tell the frame is made of what looks like sapphire.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" says a voice from behind me.

I jump and whirl around to see the lady is back again, holding a bandage. She gestures towards the necklace in my hand.

"What you are holding is the Imperial Regalia of Japan. Or rather, a very miniature interpretation of it, as no one but the Emperor and certain priests have ever cast their eyes upon it. You see the three charms? Each one is one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan. The Sword is the _Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi_ or the "Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven", which symbolizes valor and represents the stars. The Mirror is known as the _Yata no Kagami_ or "The Eight-Hand Mirror" representing truth and wisdom, and stands for the sun. And the Jewel is called the _Yasakani no Magatama_ or "Eight Shaku Curved Jewel" signifying compassion and generosity, symbolizing the moon."

"Why are they so sacred?" I inquire, staring at the charms.

She smiles at me. "There's a legend about that actually." She walks over to the nearest bookshelf and pulls out a thin scarlet book.

"Hmm, let me see." She flips through the delicate pages. "Ah. Here it is." Taking a deep breath, she begins.

"Long ago, there was a god named Susanoo who had claim over storms and the sea. He had a sister named Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, and they were always quarreling about something. One day, Susanoo took their quarreling to new heights and got extremely angry with Amaterasu. In a fit of rage he destroyed all of her rice fields and killed one of her attendants. And so, fearing for her life, Amaterasu hid and ran into a cave, taking the sun with her and plunging the world into a perpetual darkness.

But with the sun gone, no one could see, so the gods devised a plan to bring Amaterasu out of hiding. They hung the Eight-Hand Mirror and Eight Shaku Curved Jewel in a tree near the cave. Amaterasu was a curious thing and went to inspect the objects after seeing her reflection in the mirror. And when she came out of the cave she brought light to the world once more.

Susanoo, on the other hand had been banished from Heaven due to his anger, and was sent down to Earth, where he met a man named Ashinazuchi, who claimed that Orochi, the Eight-Forked Serpent had eaten seven of his daughters and was coming back to eat the last one. Susanoo then tricked Orochi into drinking eight barrels of sake, which made the serpent very drunk and easy to kill. When he cut off the tail of the serpent, he found the Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven inside, and presented it to Amaterasu in retribution for his heinous act. She accepted his apology and he was granted access to Heaven once more." She finishes.

Closing the book, she sets it back on the shelf. I take one more glance at the necklace and then hand it to her in exchange for the bandage still in her hands.

"It was hidden behind that wheel." I explain, tilting my head. "You should display it somewhere in the front. It's too beautiful to be hidden here in the back. And the legend behind it is so amazing."

I bend down, and peel the paper off the bandage. Securing it on my knee, I stand up, ready to leave.

"Thanks for all your help, I really -"

I stop speaking as she leans towards me and drops the chain around my neck. Smiling she says, "No thanks necessary. I want you to have the necklace though, free of charge."

My hands immediately draw up to the 3 charms. "I couldn't possibly accept this without paying for it." I respond, despite the warm feeling I have now that the chain is around my neck. I couldn't part with this thing even if I wanted too.

"Nonsense!" She bats her hand in the air, as if shooing away a fly. "It was made for you. I saw the way you looked at when you first glimpsed it. It called out to you. It was yours before I even gave it to you."

"Thank you." I mumble quietly, still entranced by the necklace.

"And now it would appear you have to leave."

I look up to see Souta just outside the store, holding a shoe box. Oops, almost forgot him.

I turn back to thank the lady once more, but she's with an actual customer, explaining another story. She winks at me though as I leave.

"Hey sis, what were you doing in there?" Souta asks.

"I fell and the nice lady gave me a bandage." I answer. I didn't even get her name.

"That sure was nice of her. But where are your bags?" he asks, looking back into the store as if I left them there.

"What bags?"

"The grocery bags full of ramen! Geez, Kagome, you didn't get them yet? You have got to be the most forgetful person I know." he says exasperatingly.

"Hey! I don't forget everything! I just have a lot of things on my mind. And I don't see you jumping back and forth between the Feudal Era and the present!" I argue back.

"I would if I could, but I can't. And speaking of the Feudal Era…" Souta pauses, looking at his watch. "It's almost dinner time."

"Shoot! Inuyasha's ramen!"

Sprinting off to the grocery store, I leave Souta behind me in the dust.


	4. Chapter 3: The Mall & Misery Part II

**Disclaimer:** Ownership? Still nay to Inuyasha and nay to The Mall and Misery by Broken Bells.

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3<span>

The Mall & Misery Part II

_Part of her opened the callow mind  
><em>Ideas stall in the morning tide<br>___There's a dark time  
><em>_This is your dark life  
><em>_Feel your heart_

* * *

><p>"You have got to be kidding me!" I scream in frustration.<p>

Stupid Inuyasha and his stupid ramen! Why oh why did I have to be nice and go out and get him his favourite food? I mean, he doesn't need it. He can't even appreciate the food **I** make, and that's home-cooked!

I twist the straps on my backpack again and yank. But nothing moves. Go figure. You'd think the construction workers who built our house could've made the doorways a little bit bigger.

I pull on the straps one more time, not expecting much. And lo and behold, I have met my expectations. Sighing, I unzip the bag and begin pulling out textbooks.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I say, shaking my head. 13 textbooks later, my backpack actually fits through the door. I bring the books up to my room and stack them neatly on my desk. Ready to finally leave, I turn around and spot the necklace sitting on my dresser.

"Hmm."

I walk over to the dresser and lift the necklace's chain in the air. Glittering in the sunlight, the sapphire frame of the mirror sends a kaleidoscope of colours across my walls. It's weird, but I have a sudden urge to put the necklace on. Call it intuition, or instinct, or whatever, but I feel like I'm going to need the necklace soon. Better safe than sorry. I set the chain around my neck and tuck it under my shirt, letting the charms settle on my chest. Funny, they're not even cold.

Satisfied, I hurry down the stairs, anxious to leave.

"Kagome!" Mom's voice filters from the kitchen.

"Coming!" I shout, and head towards the kitchen.

Entering through the doorway, I see my mother has made a picnic dinner for me and the gang and has actually put it a picnic basket. It sits on the table as she stirs a pot with her back turned to me.

"Kago-!"

"Mom, I'm right here." I say, picking up the basket.

"Oh. I didn't even notice you walk in." She replies, smiling at me. "But shouldn't you have left awhile ago?"

"Yep." I answer, peeking in the pot she's stirring. Rice porridge. Yum. "But there was so much stuff in my bag that I couldn't get it out the door. Now I have to leave all of my textbooks behind, again, because I know if I leave the ramen I won't hear the end of it from Inuyasha."

Grabbing the spatula out of her hand, I scoop a little and taste. Ah, heaven from a spoon.

"Yes, he can be a bit… persistent, at times." She agrees, amused, and snatches the spatula back.

"Uh huh. Which is why I gotta go." I give her a sheepish look and a quick peck on the cheek before running out the door.

As I swing my considerably lighter bag onto my back I shout, "Bye Mom! Love you!"

"Love you too! Be careful!" Is the muffled response I hear as I make my way to the well.

Passing the Goshinboku, I stare at the scar that perpetually mars its smooth bark; a slight imperfection on an otherwise beautiful strong tree. But then all of a sudden I feel something on my chest heat up, almost to the point of where it starts to hurt. Startled, I drop the picnic basket and fumble with the chain around my neck. It has to be the charms. Frantically, I try and move the charms off of my chest. Pulling the chain out, I see the Sword has turned to a glowing orange, as if it was heated metal, but the Mirror and Jewel are perfectly normal. And then all of a sudden, the glow starts to fade. Within seconds the Sword is back to its original colour, black.

I quickly press the edge of my finger onto the Sword and then just as fast, pull it away. It doesn't feel hot. I wrap my hand around it. Stone cold. Strange. Maybe I'm coming down with something. Putting the back of my hand against my forehead, I check to see if I have a fever. Nope.

I shake my head and bring my thoughts back to the task at hand. Getting back to the Feudal Era. I pick up the basket once more and lift the lid. Pleased that nothing has spilled I finish making my way to the well.

Hooking the basket around my arm I open the shrine doors. I pop inside, close the doors behind me and then run down the short flight of stairs. Swinging my legs over the edge, I jump.

The familiar blue light surrounds me as travel through the well, and before I can even blink, my feet touch ground. I glance up and see the clouds set against a sky streaked with pinks and oranges. Taking in a deep breath, I smile. It's good to be back.

It takes a good 10 minutes to climb out of the well, because I have to take into consideration the picnic basket with dinner inside of it. Manoeuvring it so hangs off my arm like a purse, I scale my way up the side, using the thick vines which line the sides to pull myself up. Nearing the top, I chuck my bag over. With one last haul I clear the edge and topple out. Whew. That takes some serious muscle.

But then I look around.

The first thing I notice is that it's cold. Not freezing, but there's definitely an unnatural chill in the air, an indication that something's amiss. This cold isn't just an external force either; it's in the air, seeping down deep inside of me, slowly coursing through my veins. It's slightly sickening and makes me feel queasy. Not a good sign.

Then I smell it. The acrid scent of smoke and burnt wood slowly fills my lungs, like a poison spreading through my body. It's like a fire's been burning for a long time over a large area, yet when I look at my surroundings, there's nothing but a huge expanse of green.

I glance around for my bag, feeling uneasy, and stand up when I spot it. I lean down and clutch at the nearest strap, and begin to lift it up.

"Don't move."

I freeze, holding my bag in the air. A burst of wind whips by my face and I hear the sound of an arrow piercing flesh. The vibrations from spiritual power ripple through the air, and a hissing sound echoes as I see some sort of dragon-like demon become purified out of the corner of my eye. But still I stay frozen.

"Why did you finally come back?"

I close my eyes in defeat as I recognize owner of the disembodied voice. Light footsteps brush against the dewy grass and I open my eyes to see Kikyo stepping into my vision. She looks the same as last time: cold yet elegant, troubled yet poised, broken yet beautiful. She stares at me with those blank eyes of hers, boring into the depths of my soul.

"Did you sense his departure?" she asks suddenly, stopping a good distance away from me.

I stay silent, dissecting her words. His departure? Wait, what? Who the heck is she talking about? I don't understand.

Kikyo resumes walking towards me then, eyes never leaving my face. As she slowly moves closer, she speaks, "You must have felt it then. His presence leaving this world for the next."

Then she stops again, right in front of me now, still staring, apparently trying to gauge my reaction. But my reaction to what? Wait a minute. 'His presence leaving this world for the next?'

I break free from my stationary stance, dropping my bag to the ground, again. In a broken voice I ask, "Where's Inuyasha?"

She just stares at me.

I try again. Maybe she just didn't hear me. "Where, is Inuyasha?"

Still, she stares at me, cold gray eyes peering into mine.

"Where's Inuyasha?" I ask again, my voice getting louder. This isn't good, I'm starting to panic. Nothing good happens when I start to panic.

"Where is he? Where's Inuyasha?" And so begins a full-blown Kagome panic attack.

"Where is Inuyasha? Where. Is. He? What have you done to him?" I yell at her, accusingly. I'm lost. I have absolutely no freaking clue as to what's going on. All I know is Inuyasha isn't here and neither is anyone else apparently, and if I don't get some answers quickly, somebody is going to get hurt. And I'm usually a pretty passive person, so that's saying something.

But she still doesn't answer me. Instead, as I ask her the last question, a flash of emotion appears on her normally expressionless face. And it looks like, shame? But it disappears as quickly as it came, and she speaks again.

"Now is not the time to be speaking of such things. Not when the gates of the Underworld have been opened, and its minions are lurking about. Come. We shall speak in my sister's village and all shall be revealed."

Turning around suddenly, Kikyo makes her way towards the village, robes billowing around her with the wind. Without a glance back towards me, she disappears in the shadows of the trees.

I stare at her receding figure, wondering what to do. Follow the undead priestess, or go home. Follow the one person who brings Inuyasha so much misery or go home and pretend nothing's wrong. I know I can't do the latter. Not without knowing Inuyasha is ok.

So I follow her. Meandering my way through the lush green forest, I eventually end up at the village. I pass by the villagers who are hard at another day's work. I pass the children who run past me playing games. The only thing I have the capacity to focus on right now is keeping one foot in front of the other.

I come upon Kaede's hut much too quickly. Barely noticing Sango's Hiraikotsu propped beside the entrance, I stumble in, confused and disoriented. My world just isn't straight without Inuyasha in it. And now that he's gone, everything is skewed.

Blinking slowly, I glance at my surroundings and find Miroku and Sango situated around the fire pit in the center of the room. Shippo sits on Miroku's shoulder, sniffling quietly, while Miroku sits with his eyes closed. Beside them, Sango holds Kirara in her lap, gently petting her, a solemn look etched on her face. Kaede sits across from them looking at the fire with a subdued face and beside her, sits Kikyo.

Of course she's here already. I should've expected it. And as everyone's heads turn towards me as I enter, she merely sits there, never acknowledging my presence, just adding more logs to the fire. I stand frozen for a moment to absorb this. Oh God, she's practically taking over. That's my job. Keeping the fire going has always been my job. And she's sitting in my seat. I don't know if I can handle this.

"Kagome!"

Shippo jumps off of Miroku and into my arms. Catching him, he clutches onto me, starting to sob.

"He's gone Kagome. We couldn't do anything about it. We tried, but there was nothing we could do."

I look down at the crying kitsune in silence, whether from shock or depression, I don't know. All I can think about is him. Inuyasha. What happened?

Miroku opens his eyes and looks at Kikyo. "How much have you told her?"

Kikyo stares him down for a moment before her eyes flicker towards me. "She knows nothing more than he is gone."

"And we know little more than that!" Sango states angrily, glaring at the undead priestess. "And what little we do know comes from your tainted mouth! How are we to believe a word that you've said? How can you expect us to after –"

"Enough Sango!" Miroku shouts loudly, grabbing her shoulder. "Now is not the time to point fingers. We must explain the situation to Kagome. Or perhaps Kikyo should explain it, to all of us. The full story, nothing more, nothing less." He swivels around, looking intently at Kikyo.

Kaede pipes in then, speaking directly to her sister. "Yes Kikyo. Ye must if ye wish for us to see the truth."

Kikyo stares into the fire again. I watch her take a small breath, which she doesn't really even need and then shut her mouth. She closes her eyes and exhales, another unnecessary motion, and then opens her eyes and stares into the fire once more.

"Inuyasha came when I summoned him 3 nights ago. We had much to speak of. Naraku has been dormant over the past month and I feel he is up to something underhanded. But that is of no use to us now. Because Inuyasha is gone."

I inhale sharply at her words, flinching slightly when she glances at me briefly before she shifts her eyes to fire again.

"You will recall there was a time when I myself wanted to lure Inuyasha to the depths of Hell so that we could be together. I expect you will find it hard to believe that I no longer wish for that outcome, but it is the truth. Hell is a realm of darkness and death, black magick and demons run rampant there. Inuyasha would hate it, stuck in the realm of evil incarnate. In fact, I suspect he does hate it there."

Suddenly silent, Kikyo grabs another log and shoves into the flames, movements precise yet slow. Then she turns her body towards Kaede.

"Sister, you realized from the beginning that my existence in the world of the living is a lie. My life now is stolen from not only Kagome, but from all the dead souls that I consume in order to walk this earth. I should in fact be dead, like the souls of the women within me, yet even now because of their use, they are not truly dead, as am I. Yet that is where the similarities between the souls and I differ. Before I was resurrected by the demon witch Urasue, I walked the path of the heavens. When released from my body, these souls within me shall do the same. Yet if I was to drain myself of their presence completely, my soul would not be sent down the same heavenly path. The black magick used to resurrect me has tainted my soul, and because of it, I would be forced to fall into the dark abyss of the Underworld.

The gods have been gracious enough to grant me the chance to end Naraku's life, so that in turn, my soul can be fully purified, and then released from Hell's grip. But until then, I act as a patron of the Underworld; free to walk amongst the realm of the living, yet ultimately a servant of the Darkness.

And even in my death, I am a rarity. Few people are ever bestowed with the powers that I have, as I keep my spiritual powers from life and also gain powers of the dead. I speak to the souls of the dead, control them, and I can also use their life essence to wield the ancient and primal magicks of both Heaven and Hell. It is both an honour and a curse, just as the Shikon no Tama once was to me."

While she speaks, I watch as Kikyo scans the small room, her eyes searching for something yet unable to find whatever she is looking for. Listening to her, I fail to see where Inuyasha's disappearance fits in.

"What does this have to do with Inuyasha?" My voice trembles slightly. This is the first time I've spoken since I've entered the hut. Out of the corner of my eye I see Sango look at me with sympathy in her eyes.

Kikyo's head jerks in my direction, eyes boring into my own.

"You asked me before where Inuyasha was." She speaks slowly. "Well, now you shall know. He's in the Underworld."

I continue to stare into her lifeless eyes, her most recent words echoing in my ears, uncomprehendingly. What? How did this happen? How did Inuyasha manage to get pulled into Hell? And what am I supposed to do without him here?

Kikyo's words finally manage to pierce my head, and after I finally realize their meaning, my knees fail underneath me. I drop to the ground, tears even now threatening to break free from eyelids. Sobbing, I hug Shippo to my chest, trying to find some sort of solace, trying not to let him see my tears. But how can anyone expect me to be strong right now?

And yet there's more. Kikyo's not done yet. There's more to this tragic story, and I'm going to have force myself to listen to it, because Kikyo's started speaking again.

"I didn't mean to do it." She whispers.

Shocked beyond words, I lift my head.

"I didn't mean to. You have to believe me. How was I to know what would happen when I tried to appease the Arch-demon? He wanted passage to the Underworld. He said the Prince of Darkness required his presence and as a servant of the Underworld, I was supposed to grant him passage. I'm not supposed to open the Gate for demons though, just the dead souls who are condemned to an afterlife of suffering. But he wouldn't listen. He grabbed me, threatened to end my life. A ridiculous notion don't you think? Ending the life of someone who has no true life at all?

Inuyasha of course tried to play the hero. Sword swinging he attempted to kill the demon in one foul swoop. Normally I would've taken care of the demon myself, except he was an Arch-demon. An extremely influential demon in the Underworld, so influential in fact, that killing him would put the balance of good and evil in jeopardy. I was fully prepared to banish him back except he released me and went for Inuyasha. Arch-demons are well known for their incredible strength in the Underworld, hence their titles. They hold a great amount of power, and they command other lesser demons. With the demon blood flowing in Inuyasha's veins, there was no way he could overcome the Arch-demon. So I opened the Gate.

Except I forgot. I forgot what would happen if I opened the Gate for reasons other than its purpose. I was so focused on saving Inuyasha that I forgot. There is always a price to pay when the rules governing the passage between realms are broken.

I didn't realize it until it was too late. But when the Arch-demon began laughing, that taunting laugh, I knew.

"How easy it was to fool you priestess." He said. "Perhaps now you will learn why love is such a useless emotion. You have just been tested. You have failed. And failure equates in punishment. So this half-breed is coming with me."

And he took Inuyasha. I couldn't stop him, not without killing him, not without breaking the bindings that hold this realm in place. The rules had been broken enough."

Kikyo finishes, her silence signalling the end of story. I stay stationary, unable to move, unwilling to accept her words.

Except then the ground starts shaking. And with everything that's gone on today, I really shouldn't be surprised, but I am. I mean it's like my world is both literally and figuratively falling apart now that Inuyasha is no longer a part of it. It's as if Mother Nature herself is mourning the loss of him alongside me, the tremors of the earth acting like disheartened sobs. And I sob with the earth in tandem.

For a second I think I hear Inuyasha's voice, faint amongst the rumblings of the earth beneath me, but still within reach.

"…Kagome…"

And I'm not sure why but the wonder that fills me, the hope that comes from those 3 indistinct little syllables compels me to open my eyes and pause in my grief.

But he's not there. Instead my eyes are turned towards Kikyo, who is still kneeling in front of the fire, unmoved like me even though the earthquake rages on. I barely register the others; Sango cradling Kirara to her chest, scrambling to get out of the hut, Miroku furiously putting out the fire before grabbing his staff, Kaede slowly but surely making her way towards the exit.

I almost forget that Shippo is still in my arms, yanking at my sleeves, screaming out loud with terror in his eyes. But I don't hear what he's saying, I can hardly make out my name on his lips. Because all I can focus on is Kikyo. All I can do is watch in utter horror and fascination as one lone tear slowly succumbs to the whims of gravity, making its way down her pale cheeks.

And for the life of me I can't seem to place blame. The world around me almost seems to stop moving; Shippo's practically moving in slow motion, still screaming at me, shivering in fright, burrowing himself into my chest as the ceiling above us starts to cave in. But I still can't move, because inside of my head everything is moving at a ridiculously fast pace. Kikyo's words are just whirling around, pounding at my skull and a part of me wants to scream at her for even existing, for putting Inuyasha in the horrible position he's in now. But I can't. And I won't. Because she legitimately tried to save him. And that tear, that lonesome tear that even now refuses to take the final step and drip right off her face tells me something. That she still loves him. She truly and honestly still loves him. And I can't do anything about it. Because I know for a fact that even though he's not here, no matter where he lies he still loves her too.

So I sob even harder. I sit there in my misery and cry for everything. I cry for Sango and Miroku as they attempt to save us from outside of the hut, and for Shippo knowing that he might not make it because of my paralyzing emotions. I cry for my family knowing that no one will be able to tell them why their daughter never came back from the Feudal era, and Kaede, because I don't know if she made it out of the hut alive. I even cry for Kikyo, because she has so much to be pitied for yet she can never bring herself to accept any of it. But most of all, I cry for myself. I selfishly cry for myself, for what is lost, for what will never be, for what I now know I can never have. I cry for Inuyasha.

That is until I hear it. Shippo's little cry of pain. And I realize that I have to do something. I have to get him out of here. He doesn't deserve to die because of me.

Shippo cries out again and squirms against me, poking his head up and yelling, "Kagome, you're burning!"

And then I understand. I feel the pain, a searing heat coming from my chest. Tears streaming down my face I try to get up, and then stumble backwards towards the wall. Shippo tumbles out of my arms, and runs towards me as the ceiling makes a horrible groaning noise and falls in.

But then a bright blue light surrounds us and fills the entire hut as I gasp, fumbling with the chain around my neck. Straining against what feels like burning flames I manage to successfully yank the chain out from under my uniform shirt, and watch in amazement as it begins to levitate off of my chest into the air, the source of all the blue light.

And then the light becomes blinding. I reach out to where I saw Shippo last, managing to grasp his tiny hand in my own. Pulling him towards me I cradle him with my body, trying to protect him as my feet somehow leave the ground and we get thrown into the air, bursting through the roof. And then I black out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I didn't mean for this chapter to end the way it did: with a cliffhanger. In fact, there was a lot more that was supposed to be incorporated into this chapter, pretty much the entirety of the next chapter. But the words started flowing this way and I think I like this better than what I had planned. So just to note, the next chapter will be coming out shortly (a lot sooner than this update did), since this breakthrough of a chapter has managed to enthuse me. And also note the nicer format. I am getting the hang of this site, so I'll fix up the other chapters once this chapter is up.

Also, yes I know this chapter is ridiculously late. I'm a compulsive liar, what can I say? I'm just like Kagome in my new story, The Diary of a Transposer. (Nice segway, huh?) I encourage you all to check it out, it's a little dark but I'm really enjoying writing it.

_I lie in wait for reviews._


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